Kieran Smyth wrote: > I'm using Debian Testing (Wheezy) on my netbook, & accidentally uninstalled > gnome-panel, gnome-session, GDM3, & something else i can't quite remember > right now. I thought it would be an easy fix using aptitude Yes! > but i have no network connections anymore, & can't get into my > Desktop Environment (well, i can... but it's a cursor & a blank > screen). Drat! :-) > Now, without a GUI... i'm useless (and i hate that!). In the beginning was the command line... > If anyone could help me get connected using the wlan0 or eth0 interfaces i > would really appreciate it. If this could be done using the command line, > that would be ideal as i would love to know how it's done. I actually like > it when things break as it helps me get to know the system i am using > better. Here is one recipe that I am sure will get you going. Stop network-manager first. # service network-manager stop Edit /etc/network/interfaces and set the following. You can simply uncomment the "#NetworkManager#iface eth0 inet dhcp" line. See http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=530024#49 for the details of that particular line. See this next http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-reference/ch05.en.html#_the_basic_syntax_of_etc_network_interfaces for general information about that file. auto eth0 allow-hotplug eth0 iface eth0 inet dhcp Plug in your ethernet wire. Bring up the interface. # ifup eth0 You should be able to watch the progress by tailing the syslog in another window. (Hint: Alt-F2 gets you to the second virtual console terminal.) After it is up something like 'netstat -nr' should print useful network information about the network. At that point you should be up and on the network and can re-install anything that you want. That should get your system going. The /var/log/dpkg.log could be useful in seeing what was recently uninstalled. Also /var/backups/ contains dpkg.status* and other files that should allow you to know what was previously installed and therefore be able to get back to a known good state. # apt-get install dctrl-tools $ grep-dctrl -s Package -n "install ok installed" /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 ...dumps a list of previously installed packages... $ grep-status -s Package -n "install ok installed" ...dumps the current list of packages installed now... Putting that information to use you can see what was different between the backup file and now. $ grep-dctrl -s Package -n "install ok installed" /var/backups/dpkg.status.0 | sort > /tmp/list.prev $ grep-status -s Package -n "install ok installed" | sort > /tmp/list.now $ comm -3 /tmp/list.prev /tmp/list.now And then inspecting that list make a decision about how to repair. Whew! That above is somewhat complicated. But if you are in a hurry then you probably you just need the following to pull in what you lost. These metapackages (and gdm I prefer over the gdm3) will probably pull in what you need. But the above would give you exact answers. # apt-get install gnome gnome-core gnome-desktop-environment gdm Hope that helps, Bob
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